1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering wheel mark member fixing structure for fixing a mark member for decoration to a pad cover provided at a steering wheel of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional steering wheel of a vehicle, e.g., a steering wheel 100 illustrated in FIG. 8, is equipped with an air bag device 102. The air bag device 102 has a bag body (not shown) for protection of a vehicle occupant (driver). The bag body is inflates and expands at the time of an emergency of the vehicle. A pad cover 104 is provided at the vehicle occupant side of the bag body. At the time of an emergency of the vehicle, the pad cover 104 can be broken by the inflating and expanding bag body. Further, a mark member 106 formed of, for example, metal or the like, is provided at the pad cover 104 for decoration.
At the steering wheel 100, four mounting holes 108 are formed in the pad cover 104. Four metal mounting legs 110 are formed at the mark member 106 in correspondence with the mounting holes 108. With the mounting legs 110 of the mark member 106 inserted in the mounting holes 108 of the pad cover 104, the distal end portions of the inserted mounting legs 110 are bent at right angles so as to abut the side of the pad cover 104 opposite the vehicle occupant side (so as to make the distal end portions of the mounting legs 110 and the inner wall surface of the pad cover 104 at the side opposite the vehicle occupant parallel). In this way, the distal end portions of the bent mounting legs 110 catch on the side of the pad cover 104 opposite the vehicle occupant, such that the mark member 106 is fixed to the pad cover 104.
However, in the steering wheel 100, the mounting legs 110 are merely bent at right angles. Thus, the force with which the distal end portions of the mounting legs 110 catch on the side of the pad cover 104 opposite the vehicle occupant is weak. As a result, when the mark member 106 is large and the mass thereof is great, it is easy for the state in which the mounting legs 110 are bent to be released, i.e., it is easy for the mark member 106 to come off from the pad cover 104. In order to prevent this, the mark member 106 is fixed to the pad cover 104 by a process such as crimping by another member such as a pin or the like. There is therefore the need to improve the power of the fixing of the mark member 106 to the pad cover 104. To this end, other members such as pins or the like are needed, and the problem arises that the number of parts increases and the cost increases.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide a steering wheel mark member fixing structure which can strongly fix a mark member to a pad cover and which is lower cost.
A first aspect of the present invention is a steering wheel mark member fixing structure which fixes a mark member on a pad cover provided at a steering wheel, comprising: fixing holes passing through the pad cover; projecting portions provided at a surface of the pad cover at a side opposite a vehicle occupant side, the projecting portions being adjacent to the fixing holes and projecting substantially toward the side opposite the vehicle occupant side; and fixing legs provided at the mark member and projecting toward the pad cover and adapted to be inserted into the fixing holes, wherein the mark member is fixed to the pad cover by inserting the fixing legs in the fixing holes and bending the fixing legs such that the fixing legs cover the projecting portions.
A second aspect of the present invention according to the first aspect is a steering wheel mark member fixing structure further comprising: catching projections which are provided at at least one of: (i) the projecting portions; and (ii) portions adjacent to the projecting portions on the surface of the pad cover at the side opposite the vehicle occupant side, and which project substantially toward the side opposite the vehicle occupant side; and catching portions provided at the fixing legs in correspondence with the catching projections, the catching portions being caught on the catching projections.
A third aspect of the present invention according to the second aspect is a steering wheel mark member fixing structure wherein the catching projections have guiding inclined portions which prevent the catching portions from interfering (colliding) with distal ends of the catching projections when the fixing legs are being bent.
A fourth aspect of the present invention according to the third aspect is a steering wheel mark member fixing structure wherein the guiding inclined portions are configurations which substantially correspond to tracks (loci) of movement of the fixing legs when the fixing legs are being bent.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is a steering wheel mark member fixing structure which fixes a mark member on a pad cover provided at a steering wheel, comprising: fixing holes passing through the pad cover; taper portions having substantially triangular cross-sectional configurations, and provided at a surface of a pad cover at a side opposite a vehicle occupant side, and being adjacent to the fixing holes, and projecting substantially toward the side opposite the vehicle occupant side; and plastically deformable fixing legs provided at the mark member, projecting toward the pad cover and adapted to be inserted into the fixing holes, wherein the mark member is fixed to the pad cover by inserting the fixing legs in the fixing holes and bending the fixing legs such that distal end portions of the fixing legs abut the taper portions.
In the steering wheel mark member fixing structure of the fifth aspect, in a state in which the plastically deforming fixing legs of the mark member are inserted in the fixing holes which pass through the pad cover provided at the steering wheel, the fixing legs are bent. The distal end portions of the fixing legs are thereby made to abut the taper portions provided adjacent to the fixing holes. In this way, the distal end portions of the fixing legs catch on the taper portions, and the mark member is fixed to the pad cover.
Here, because the taper portion has a substantially triangular columnar configuration (the cross-section thereof is substantially triangular), by making the distal end portions of the fixing legs tightly contact (abut) the taper portions, the fixing legs are bent in substantial V-shapes (at acute angles), namely, the distal end portions of the fixing legs are inclined at predetermined angle (toward the vehicle driver side) with respect to the inner wall surface of the pad cover, and the portion of the fixing legs which are bent (bent portion) abuts the corner portion of the taper portions, or are being near to the corner portions of the taper portions. In this way, the distal end portions of the fixing legs are caught on the taper portions with a strong force, and it is difficult for the bent state of the fixing legs to be cancelled, thereby the mark member can be strongly fixed to the pad cover.
Further, because the mark member can be strongly fixed to the pad cover, even if the mark member is large and heavy, it does not come off from the pad cover. Accordingly, there is no need to provide other parts such as pins or the like as in the conventional art, and the number of parts can be reduced, resulting in a reduction in costs.
A sixth aspect of the present invention according to the fifth aspect is a steering wheel mark member fixing structure further comprising: catching projections which are provided at at least one of: (i) the taper portions; and (ii) portions adjacent to the taper portions on the surface of the pad cover at the side opposite the vehicle occupant side, and which project substantially toward the side opposite the vehicle occupant side; and catching portions provided at the fixing legs in correspondence with the catching projections, the catching portions being caught on the catching projections.
In the steering wheel mark member fixing structure of the sixth aspect, the catching portions which are provided at the fixing legs catch on the catching projections provided at the taper portions or adjacent the taper portions. Thus, it is even more difficult to cancel the state in which the fixing legs are bent. In this way, the mark member can be fixed even more strongly to the pad cover.
A seventh aspect of the present invention according to the sixth aspect is a steering wheel mark member fixing structure wherein guiding inclined portions are formed at distal ends of the catching projections, and at a time of bending the fixing legs, the guiding inclined portions prevent the catching portions from interfering (colliding) with the distal ends of the catching projections, and guide bending of the fixing legs.
In the steering wheel mark member fixing structure of the seventh aspect, the guiding inclined portions are formed at the distal ends of the catching projections. Due to the guiding inclined portions guiding the bending of the fixed legs of the mark member, the catching portions can be prevented from colliding with the distal ends of the catching projections. As a result, the work for bending the fixing legs can be facilitated.
Further, because the bending of the fixing legs is guided by the guiding inclined portions, the catching portions contact the catching projections when the distal end portions of the fixing legs abut the taper portions (i.e., when the mark member is fixed to the pad cover). In this way, no play arises between the catching portions and the catching projections, and joggling of the mark member with respect to the pad cover can be prevented.
A eighth aspect of the present invention according to the fifth aspect is a steering wheel mark member fixing structure wherein a flange portion which projects toward the pad cover is formed at a peripheral edge of the mark member.
In the steering wheel mark member fixing structure of the eighth aspect, the flange portion which projects toward the pad cover is formed at the periphery of the mark member. Thus, the mark member is reinforced by the flange portion, and accordingly, the strength of the mark member can be improved.